Happy 63rd Birthday, Art

Borg Warner/Rotary Club of Asheville Welcome Home Honor Air Veterans

Not Ready ...

I love this commercial

3 Cheers for Coach Jan Stanley

I didn't play but I sure watched a lot of my friends play 23 years ago and I was cheering her on tonight as she won her 658th win to become the N.C.'s winningest volleyball coach! (GREAT photo by Mike Dirks of the Times-News)

This one took almost a year ...

This is from Art's birthday last year ... yea, the one he will celebrate again in 5 days! The A is for Art and the H is for Helen - together they are awesomely happy in love and awesomely hippie! LOL!

And it only took 2 1/2 months to get them scrapped ...

Weekend Pics

Taken at the Van Wingerdan's, just outside the greenhouses

I love all the colors in this one ... calling it "Fire Flower"

Moth's tend to sit a bit longer than butterflies

How now brown cow? I was struck by how much this cow looked like a deer

NC Mountain State Fair 2008

I love that I was able to find the Elvis Roustabout song to go with my video.

I'm just wondering ...

Do you think when they built their 5 million dollar dream home in Biltmore Park they ever expected the picture below to be their view? I'm guessing, "NO!" (Maybe that explains the FOR SALE sign out front.)

I'm all for a Barnes & Noble to be only two exits away from my house, but what these developers have done along the riverbed on Long Shoals Road and all the beautiful mountain ranges leading up to Clayton Road is just WRONG!

Nesting at the Fair

Gray Saddleback Pomeranian Goose


White Fantail Dove

Peacock ... no matter how much I cooed, he refused to show off his feathers!


The first time I have ever seen a white turkey. And look at that face ... pink and blue. It was so unique.

Happy Birthday, Harmony

Happy 5th Birthday!

The Fair!

I'll post more in the morning, but I liked this one showing all the colors! I took it from the ferris wheel (my all-time favorite ride!)

9/11 Remembered

These fireman stood guard at the memorial today from 12-7, each taking 15 minute shifts.

My VISION Class

Today at the Singleton Center in Flat Rock.

<<<<< LOOK!

Lovin' the new way to keep up with everybody's blogging. I first saw it on Amanda's blog (can't believe she found something cool before I did!) Anyway, I like having links to all of our family blogs so I can click to them from mine without having to type them in. The new way to list them is even better because it tells me whether or not you have updated so I don't bother going if you haven't been there in days ... or months! I know, I know, I am just as guilty some weeks. Anywho ... lovin' it and hope it makes it easier for those of you who are also reading several blogs each day. Toodles for now, tomorrow is my second VISION class and we are going to tour the new technology building at Blue Ridge. It sounds so cool, can't wait!

Happy Birthday Best Buy Boy!

Hope you have a great birthday, Atley. It is indeed an adventure to know you!

I got new glass!

Last October, I briefly gave up the dream of owning a DSLR. I gave into the overwhelming desire to go to Jamaica without film and I so I bought a version of the camera that Dee, Tamara, and Art have. It was a great camera but all my gorgeous shooting minolta lenses were just gathering dust and may heart just wasn't into being satisfied with the KodakZ812. Granted I took some great pictures with it in Jamaica and I loved the video capabilities of the camera. I took loads of pictures in Jamaica, some really good pictures at Thanksgiving, Christmas and into the new year but every time I went online I headed to the Sony Style website. Once there, I would pick out the camera I wanted and click, "add to cart." Then I would follow with lens after lens and numerous other accessories. When it was time to ring it up, I would hit clear cart and go back to dreaming. I know this sounds a bit emotional just for a camera, but hey, that's me! This past March, Sony finally put out a version of the digital camera that would take my Minolta lenses and with a certain young man's employee discount, I was able to afford the camera of my dreams! I have enjoyed it so much!

Last month, the editor of Mountain Traditions, a magazine published by the paper I work for, asked me to take some shots at a Wine Tasting. I used my wide angle 20 lens for some of the photos and I wasn't very pleased, they were very soft as if they had a softening filter like you might see over wedding or baby photos. Problem was - I wasn't taking those kinds of pictures.

At the same time I was needing to get a new lens, my sister and her husband were thinking about buying a new camera. I told her about the Kodak Z812 and gave it to them to try for a bit. I am happy to say that it worked well for them and so I sold it and the picture above is my new wide angle lens that I got in today's mail. It cost me exactly what Angie and Gene bought the Kodak for. I was going to save the money ... but if you know me you know that is really hard for me to do. I am hoping that some of my pictures will sell soon ... maybe I will save that money ... then again, there's this really awesome 24-70 Carl Zeiss .... oh nevermind, I know I am talking in a foreign language anyway, haha!

I know you all are probably bored to tears by now but I said all this to say ... Thank you, Angie and Gene, for buying my camera so I could by this lens. I owe you a family portrait. Pick the place and time and I'll be there! Love you!